I fly QF metal for the first time this week. I'll pass judgement then. I expect the usual: the novelty will have worn off by the time I land. I'll think of my gripes with EK, but then get philosophical about it and concede that the overall EK product is consistent, largely predictable, and therefore reliable; and I will then conclude that all things considered EK is the best for me.

I'm not really in the camp of people who fly an airline because of their reward programme. The overall experience, sans status, has to make sense. I see you live in Sydney, so maybe it does for you. But even if I think QF is great, I won't fly them because I'm based in DXB, SIN and JNB. EK makes the most sense.